No longer is a fasting blood sugar considered a valid test to see if you have diabetes or a tendency for it. The HbA1C measures the average blood sugar over a 3-month period, and is a more accurate indicator. Levels at 6.5% or higher diagnose diabetes. Levels between 5.5-6.4% raise the yellow flag that you have prediabetes, and need to improve your diet and exercise immediately. If you already have diabetes, levels at or below 7% indicate good control. Pushing to the low 6’s is not necessarily better, probably due to the added drugs required, some of which result in weight gain.
From Family Practice News (click here), 3/15/10, p. 16.
No comments:
Post a Comment